Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.
Potential Strike Averted as Food 4 Less/Foods Co. Workers Reach TA: The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals representing thousands of Food 4 Less/Foods Co. workers reached a tentative agreement (TA) on Tuesday with the grocery company, averting a potential strike. For the past three months, members of UFCW locals 8GS, 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428 and 1442 have been fighting for a fair contract at the bargaining table and in their communities with rallies, petitions, conversations with customers and more. This TA comes after workers overwhelmingly voted to approve a strike authorization after their previous contract expired without a new agreement in place. Members will soon vote on the deal, which includes substantial wage increases, greater guaranteed hours and other contractual improvements. “We are proud to announce a tentative agreement with Food 4 Less/Foods Co. that we unanimously recommend to our co-workers,” said the bargaining committee in a press release. “We are grateful for the solidarity and strength our co-workers have shown throughout negotiations as well as the overwhelming support we have received from our customers and community members. We could not have achieved this deal without them. Today proves that when workers stand together, we win. We look forward to discussing the details of this agreement with our co-workers before we make our voices heard during the voting process.”
A Pension Is a Promise: Biden Administration and Sen. Casey Announce Pension Protections for BCTGM Members and Retirees: Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International President Anthony Shelton visited Hershey, Pennsylvania, last week—along with members and retirees of BCTGM Local 6—for a historic update on pension reform from White House Senior Advisor and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Implementation Coordinator Gene Sperling and Sen. Bob Casey. President Biden highlighted on Friday that 1 million pensions have now been saved under the ARP, protecting the promise of dignified retirement for people across the country. Assistance through the 2021 Biden administration stimulus bill will prevent benefit cuts for roughly 103,000 manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers, and retirees who are represented by BCTGM. These members already have earned their pension benefits over their years of service but were facing benefit reductions of approximately 45% by the end of the decade. Instead, thanks to ARP, the plan will now be projected to pay full benefits to workers and retirees through at least 2051. This is the second largest award to date through the ARP’s Butch Lewis Act. Over 52,000 Pennsylvanians, 71,000 Illinoisans, 71,000 New Yorkers, 62,000 Ohioans, 61,000 Michiganders, 39,000 Missourians, 33,000 Wisconsinites and many more Americans have had their pensions preserved by the Biden administration.
iHeart Podcast Network Workers Vote to Ratify First Union Contract: Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) members at the iHeart Podcast Network announced Monday that they have successfully ratified their first-ever collective bargaining agreement. The 100-member unit started negotiations with management after the union was voluntarily recognized in 2022. Members include writers, producers, editors and other staff who work in storytelling at the audio company. The path to this massive victory wasn’t an easy one—the union dealt with multiple insulting proposals from management over more than two years of bargaining. But ultimately, iHeart Podcast Union members’ solidarity paid off in their new contract, which provides nearly half a million dollars in immediate pay increases, new minimum starting salaries, severance of up to 16 weeks, the right to bargain over any implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace and so much more. In addition to the iHeart Podcast Network, the WGAE represents workers at other popular podcast production companies, including Crooked Media, The Ringer, Spotify Studios (formerly Gimlet and Parcast) and more. “With more than 30 million monthly listeners, podcasts have become an essential part of iHeartMedia’s business and their employees deserve to be fairly compensated and provided with workplace protections,” said WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen in a press release. “The contract won by Guild members at the iHeart Podcast Network sets a new bar for people who work in the podcast industry. The WGAE will continue to fight to raise industry standards in podcasting.”
NYC Utility Workers Secure Tentative Agreement, Averting Strike: Utility Workers (UWUA) Local 1-2 reached a tentative agreement (TA) Sunday with energy company Con Edison, averting a potential strike during a record-breaking heat wave. Con Edison is New York City’s primary power provider, servicing 10 million residents across the metropolitan area and Westchester County. Local 1-2 represents about 8,000 workers at the company, including electrical technicians, engineers, designers and administrators. Members were poised to walk off the job on Sunday—with picket captains ready at various locations—in order to secure a fair contract that reflects the critical role they play at Con Edison. The four-year tentative contract includes an improved general wage increase, an enhanced medical plan with minimal increases, an upgraded wage acceleration plan and increased various operational agreements. “This agreement reflects the hard work and dedication of both parties to reach an agreement that benefits all,” said Local 1-2 in an online statement. “Moreover, this agreement would not be possible without the unwavering support of the rank and file.”
Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Win ‘Record’ Tentative Agreement: After a week of bargaining at the National Mediation Board (NMB), the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and Alaska Airlines bargaining committee announced on Friday that it had reached a “record” tentative deal with the carrier. The union credits the tireless efforts of activist-members throughout the negotiation process as a critical reason why it was able to strike a deal with the airline. Flight attendants have staged actions large and small over the course of bargaining, including wearing color-coordinated pins and lanyards on flights, participating in informational pickets, taking an overwhelmingly supportive strike authorization vote, pushing Congress to tell the NMB to end protracted negotiations, demonstrations at airports across the country and more. The next step in the process is for the negotiating committee to present the TA to the Master Executive Council, a body of member-elected local Executive Council presidents who are responsible for coordinating the activities of AFA-CWA across an entire airline, which will vote on whether it will be released for a full membership ratification. “[Member] actions over the last two years of bargaining, including gaining support from lawmakers for our right to strike, ensured we had the leverage to extract every last dollar from Alaska Airlines management,” read a mediation update statement from AFA Alaska. “The AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you for the support and efforts of Members and our Mobilization Volunteers over the past two years. With the solidarity and unity of our workgroup and the real, credible threat of a release, management felt the pressure needed to get this Tentative Agreement.”
IBEW Local 46 Strike at Limited Energy Ends: Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 46 members voted Wednesday to ratify a tentative agreement with the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) after bravely spending more than 10 weeks on the picket line. The contract was approved by a margin of 85% and included a total of $12.50 per hour in raises as well as a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to continue discussing paid time off provisions. Limited Energy electricians—who perform critical work to install and maintain systems like fire and security alarms, HVAC controls, emergency radios and more—went on strike in April. This work stoppage marked the first time since just after World War II that a Local 46 electrician unit had been on strike. Throughout the strike, members held the line in the face of multiple insulting proposals from NECA and displayed the true spirit of solidarity by cooking meals together, fixing each other’s cars and helping fellow electricians get to doctors’ appointments. “It has been a long journey,” said Local 46 Business Representative Megan Kirby in a statement posted to social media. “I cannot express how proud I am of this unit with their commitment and solidarity.”
Guthrie Theater Front-Facing Crew Votes to Join IATSE: Front-of-house workers at Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater voted to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 13 earlier this month, with more than 70% of the ballots cast in favor of joining the union. These newly minted union members were supported by their organized colleagues throughout the campaign—Guthrie stagehands are also represented by Local 13 and the staff who handle set design voted overwhelmingly to join United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE in 2022. The venue produces a mix of classic and contemporary plays on three stages, and front-facing staff work across multiple departments, including Audience Services, Box Office, Environmental Services, Guest Services and the Kitchak Lounge. Despite management’s pushback at various points in the organizing process and refusal to voluntarily recognize the union, members of the Guthrie Front-Facing Staff Union refused to back down and the election results show a powerful unity among workers.
After One Year and One Day, IAPE and Dow Jones Reach TA on New Contract: The Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (IAPE), Local 1096 of The NewsGuild-CWA (TNG-CWA), reached a tentative agreement (TA) Monday with Dow Jones on a new four-year contract. IAPE is composed of 1,400 journalists, technology staff, sales professionals, and administrative, production, and support staffers across the United States and Canada who make possible outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron’s, Factiva, and others. Highlights of the TA include a 16.25% wage increase over the duration of the contract, a lump sum payment of 4.25% of pay or $4,250 (whichever is larger), a ratification bonus, a freeze of health insurance premiums, enhanced parental leave benefits, an additional paid company holiday, and increase to the minimum pay scales and more. After a year and a day of negotiations, the workers who provide Dow Jones with award-winning reporting, record subscriptions and unprecedented profits have secured a hard-fought win after coming to the brink of a walkout for the first time in the 80-plus year history of the union.
D.C. Hospitality Workers Secure New Contract with Salary Increase, Benefits: Thousands of Washington, D.C., hospitality workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 25, ratified a new four-year contract last week, delivering historic wins to members on core issues. The bargaining committee spent several months solidifying this agreement with more than 20 D.C. hotels and restaurants. Roughly 4,000 workers will see an approximately 25% wage increase over four years; medical, vision and dental coverage for staff and their families; an expanded pension package; and more. This contract victory comes just weeks after Destination D.C., the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, reported that 25.95 million total visitors came to the District in 2023, a 17% uptick from 2022 and a higher total than the pre-pandemic record set in 2019. “Everything in this new contract means so much to me,” Sarayia Johnson, a housekeeper at Marriott Marquis, said in a statement. “I love coming to work, I love the people, I love taking care of guests. But I have bills I need to take care of and food I need to put on the table. We needed more money, and I’m so proud we were able to win these raises.”
Residents and Fellows at UMMC Vote to Join Union by Overwhelming Margin: Residents and fellow physicians at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) voted in a landslide victory on Thursday to join AFT-Maryland, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Members of University of Maryland Resident & Fellow Alliance (UMRFA) work across multiple locations in more than 60 specialties and programs, and their final vote margin was a stunning 628 to 19. As the election got closer, workers won support from high-profile public officials, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Zeke Cohen, a City Council member who’s a candidate for council president. This union is the first of its kind in Maryland, and physicians are aiming to secure a contract that ensures higher wages, improved health care benefits and better retirement plan matching so they can better serve patients. “Our state federation is excited to work with these brilliant medical minds to deliver great outcomes for workers that will only result in a better UMMC,” Kenya Campbell, president at AFT-Maryland said. “Most importantly, better quality of care for the surrounding community that relies on residents and fellows to keep us healthy and safe.” “We have rewritten this chapter of our collective story and reclaimed some of the agency often denied to trainees and workers,” UMRFA announced in a press release. “We look forward to being a stronger voice and partner at UMMC advocating for the needs of residents and fellows so that they can ensure the people of Baltimore receive the best possible care.”
New Contract for Miami Solid Waste Workers Highlights the Union Difference: Despite Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ramming extreme union-busting legislation through the state Legislature last year, AFSCME Florida members working at Miami’s solid waste department recently ratified a new three-year contract with the city that proves the power of collective action. The bill, S.B. 256, requires most public sector unions to maintain 60% dues payment rates, requires anti-union language to be added to membership cards, outlaws their right to receive dues via paycheck deductions, requires them to undertake costly auditing procedures, and more provisions aimed at undermining the rights of union members. But AFSCME Local 871 members refused to back down and resolved to retain their union through these attacks. They signed and re-signed every new card and were one of the first locals to pass the law’s 60% membership threshold. As of last week, nearly 85% of the workers in Local 871’s bargaining unit are AFSCME members. And that dedication has paid off: Their new contract is retroactive to October 2023 and maintains pension and health care costs, strengthens their voice on the job, and delivers an 18% wage increase over the life of the agreement. Other financial wins include a provision that almost doubles shift differential pay and language that establishes a new top pay grade that’s 5% higher above the previous highest level. “The past few years have seen public service workers come under attack, but this contract shows that when you stand up and fight for what is right, you are going to win more times than not,” said Joe Simmons Jr., a waste equipment operator and president of Local 871. “Our governor and his yes men in the legislature thought that when they passed the most anti-union, anti-worker legislation in Florida history…that we would just sit down and shut up. But they don’t have the sense God gave Adam because every time they say they support workers, stand up for families and want to give people a shot at the American dream, they are lying through their teeth.”
Workers at National Sawdust Successfully Vote to Join Union: Ushers at Brooklyn’s nonprofit music venue National Sawdust in New York voted overwhelmingly last week to join Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 306. Founded in 2015, National Sawdust is a Williamsburg-based cultural institution that commissions, produces and presents programming from multidisciplinary artists. With this successful vote, ushers will join the ranks of their front-of-house peers at iconic venues like New York City Radio City Music Hall, Richard Rodgers Theatre, Madison Square Garden and more. Staff started organizing in October of 2023 when they first reached out to IATSE with goals of securing a contract with quality health care benefits, robust safety provisions, mental health resources and avenues for professional growth. “I love working at National Sawdust; With the knowledge and support of a Union, I feel optimistic that we can work towards implementing positive changes that will enhance our roles and in turn quality of life,” said usher Marika Wolf. “Not only for the benefit of the longstanding Front-of-house workers who have contributed to National Sawdust’s success as it has grown but also for any future members who will join the team.”